


simple things

by bijyu



Category: EXO (Band), SHINee
Genre: Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-19
Updated: 2016-01-19
Packaged: 2018-05-15 01:18:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,774
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5766442
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bijyu/pseuds/bijyu
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jongin is sulking; Taemin tries to figure out why.</p>
            </blockquote>





	simple things

If it's not sulking, Taemin doesn't know what else to call it. Even though Jongin did agree to come over when Taemin invited him, he's been unusually quiet and grumpy. Taemin tries his best to brighten the mood, he gives up his dignity and makes the lamest jokes which usually would at least make Jongin snort and tell him to stop, he also orders chicken even though he shouldn't eat it right before the comeback, and he even lets Jongin win in Mario Kart. But nothing seems to work.

"I'm not sulking," Jongin mumbles when Taemin accuses him of it, and, for a moment seriously losing his patience, Taemin just rolls his eyes and pulls his phone out of his back pocket. If Jongin didn't come here to spend time with him then he can occupy himself with something else.

They end up like this in the bedroom, with Jongin lying in Taemin's bed, facing the wall and, most definitely, sulking. Taemin is sitting on the carpet checking his SNS, but he hardly can focus on what he's reading, now honestly bothered by Jongin's behaviour. It's been a long time since Jongin last acted like this. And long as in years, not months— they aren't children anymore and if something is bothering them, they talk it out before the situation becomes difficult to handle.

Taemin tries to tell himself he doesn't care that much, but— of course he does. He always gets antsy when Jongin is upset with him, and it doesn't help he's not that good with apologies. He's the type to try to make up for his mistakes with actions instead. But Jongin seems to value both, he always tries to clear everything up. Except now Taemin isn't sure what the problem is. He has a guess, but… it doesn't make much sense as it's not something Jongin would usually get angry about.

Sighing, he puts his phone away and climbs on the bed, leaning over Jongin, touching his arm.

"Are you going to tell me what crawled up your ass and died or not?"

Jongin doesn't react, but Taemin can see him purse his lips. He's really acting like a baby. Jongin does that sometimes, being the youngest in his family and all, but this is going too far.

"Stop pouting at the wall and tell me." He pokes Jongin's cheek. "Come on? Pretty please?"

Jongin huffs and swats his hand away. Taemin groans in frustration and he's about to get up when Jongin says, "You didn't answer my calls."

For a moment Taemin freezes, bewildered. Is Jongin even serious?

"I was practicing my choreo, for fuck's sake, Jongin, you know how it is-"

"You didn't reply to my messages either."

"I did-"

"Three days later." Jongin's voice is bitter now and it makes something in Taemin's chest twist, the surprise and irritation he feels fading into concern. He climbs over Jongin and lies next to him, facing him. Jongin shifts to hide his face in the pillow, but Taemin is having none of that.

"Hey," he whispers, curling his hand in Jongin's hair, threads his fingers through the soft strands. "It's not the first time it's happened and you know that. Yeah, okay, we usually answer as soon as we can." He sighs. "But I was distracted. Exhausted." He pauses, exhaling shakily. All of that didn't mean he didn't miss Jongin. He did, he always does. It never felt like he had to say it— between them, they just know those things. "Come on, Jongin. What is it really about?"

Jongin is still for a moment and Taemin keeps petting him, hoping it will serve as an encouragement. Finally, Jongin turns his head to face him. Taemin smiles at him, gently cupping his cheek, thumb brushing over his cheekbone, and Jongin lets out a small sigh, dropping his eyes.

"It's just… I'm scared," he says in the faintest of whispers. "Things are different now."

Taemin raises his eyebrows, confused. He genuinely has no idea what this is about and as usual in situations like this, he recalls Kibum's miffed voice, accusing him of being as oblivious as a rock, sometimes. "Different how?"

Jongin swallows and Taemin watches his Adam's apple bob up and down, and then he watches him lick his lips— but even without that, he can sense how nervous Jongin is. "You know, since we…" he trails off, his eyes flicking back to Taemin's, uncertain, as if asking him for help, and then lower, to his mouth. Taemin frowns, thinks, and— it suddenly dawns on him. So Jongin has been worrying about that.

"Wait." He breathes a short laugh. It's the first reaction that comes to him, even though it does make him uneasy, that Jongin thinks things are different between them. "How does that change anything?"

"It's just that…" Jongin purses his lips again. "You can have many friends but this is different. What if you get tired of me or you find someone else? And things will get awkward between us?" Taemin is about to protest but Jongin gives him a look, and the desperation he sees in Jongin's eyes stuns him into silence. "I wouldn't be able to handle that. I was worried that ... that you were already getting tired, and," he pauses, biting his lip, his hand moving to wrap around Taemin's wrist, "you haven't— you haven't kissed me today?"

It comes out as a question, filled with insecurity, and Taemin's heart clenches. He laughs, because that's what he usually does when he doesn't know any better, can't find any other way to lessen the nearly painful pressure in his chest.

"Jongin, you were pissed. I didn't think it was the right time-" Jongin's fingers curl a little tighter around his wrist and— to hell with that, Taemin thinks. Instead of explaining further, he leans in and presses a kiss to Jongin's lips.

He means it to be brief and sweet but he soon feels the need to let Jongin know he means it and he takes Jongin's face in his hands and kisses him hard, tongue slipping into his mouth, brushing against Jongin's, insistent. He lets himself get lost in the warmth of Jongin's mouth; he doesn't pull back until he feels dizzy, his heart racing— and even then, it's only to nibble on Jongin's bottom lip, until he makes a small sound and presses closer to him, hand gripping Taemin's hip.

They haven't kissed like this before. The first time they did it was a month ago, and maybe Taemin should be surprised at how natural it felt, but he wasn't. One moment they were cuddling on the sofa, just talking— and then Jongin leaned in and kissed him. To Taemin, it didn't feel any different than all the other affectionate gestures between them. Jongin is— he doesn't know how to describe it. He's like an extension of him. Being with him, talking, playing around, touching, kissing— it's like breathing, dancing, it's something he can't live without. More than anything, he couldn't understand why they hadn't done it before— except for short pecks on their lips, cheeks, necks, hands, because they've been doing that ever since he can remember.

He did think, after that kiss, about having sex with Jongin. The idea makes him a little nervous but mostly, he's looking forward to it. It's just another way to be close to him and he wonders if it, finally, will feel like enough. Sometimes when they hug, Taemin wishes they could melt into each other. And he wants it, to be inside Jongin, and to have him inside.

"Taemin-" Jongin gasps against his lips and Taemin finally draws back to look at him— he likes his flushed cheeks, his swollen lips. He thinks Jongin is the most beautiful person he's ever met. Not only right now, when he looks so lost, soft, with hazy eyes and cutely tousled hair. He finds him just as pretty when he's drowsy, with puffy eyes and swollen face and a hint of a stubble, and just— at all times, Jongin is beautiful to him.

And though they haven't kissed like this before but it feels like it's not the first time, like it's been happening since forever.

"You're a fucking idiot, Jongin," Taemin tells him. "How could I get tired of you? And how come your idea of preventing that involves acting like a pissy three years old?"

Jongin shoots him a glare but his lips are already curling into a smile. "Okay, so maybe I didn't think that through."

"No shit."

"Can I, uh…" Jongin lowers his eyes and for a moment, Taemin is mesmerised by his eyelashes, fluttering over his cheeks. "Maybe there are ways I can make it up to you?" he says, voice low, and Taemin just knows he's trying to sound sexy, and oh, it would so work on the fans, maybe even on him in some other situation but right now, he feels laughter bubble up inside him.

He snorts, then bursts into giggles, and Jongin is instantly trying to glare again, except he's chuckling too, so it's even less convincing than before.

"Let me guess," Taemin wheezes. "It sounded smoother in your head?"

"Shut up," Jongin huffs; he's flustered but there's a spark of challenge in his eyes, and before Taemin knows it, Jongin is straddling him, pinning him down to the bed. "Like you're ever smooth."

"Hmm. Maybe I am when I talk dirty?" Taemin responds, playfully pulling at his wrists, with no real intention to get free. "Want me to try?"

"No, thanks," Jongin answers gruffly. "The embarrassment is killing me already." Taemin laughs at that, but he can feel his own face turn warm— and yeah, he figures they can start spicing things up sometime later. He sighs, closing his eyes, when Jongin leans down to kiss him; all of sudden, even a simple brush of lips feels strangely electrifying. But Jongin pulls back all too soon and looks down on Taemin, brows furrowed.

"Um… what, what exactly are we going to do?"

Taemin attempts to free his hands and this time Jongin releases his wrists easily. He places his hands on Jongin's hips, squeezes them lightly in a, hopefully, reassuring manner.

"Whatever we want, yeah?" he offers with a smile and Jongin smiles back at him, a little shy, a little cocky, and so very Jongin it makes Taemin's chest fill with giddy warmth.

"Okay," he whispers, leaning down for another kiss. "I guess that sounds promising."

 

 

 

 

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**Author's Note:**

> first time writing taekai,. i hope it was ok! i love these two so much.


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